Overthorpe C of E Academy

BELIEVE, ENJOY, ACHIEVE

'Overthorpe is more than a school-

We are the heart of the community.

In our family, we nurture the courage,

And skills to fly higher than the flock,

Whilst always providing a nest,

To come home to.'

TRUST, FRIENDSHIP, ENDURANCE, FORGIVENESS, HOPE

To see the latest photos of learning in school please click here

Headteacher - Mr J Mitchell

Senior Leadership Team - Ms L McCarthy (Deputy Head), Ms L Stott (Assistant Head), Mrs S Wood (SENDCo)

Designated Safeguarding lead - Mrs S Wood

Deputy DSLs - Mr J Mitchell, Ms L Stott, Ms L McCarthy, Mrs A Godfrey

Y5 - We were looking at the Viking trade routes.

It has been another busy and positive week at Overthorpe.

Our Year 6 pupils completed SATs week, and they have done themselves incredibly proud. They approached each test with maturity, resilience and a fantastic attitude, and every member of staff is very proud of the way they conducted themselves throughout the week.

Earlier in the week, Year 1 teachers from across the Trust joined together at Overthorpe to moderate writing samples. It was a pleasure to share practice with colleagues and particularly pleasing to see how well our Year 1 children are doing in their writing.

Orienteering activities have taken place across the school, and the children have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to work outdoors, solve problems and collaborate with their peers. KS1 tennis club was also, as always, a big success and continues to be very popular with the children.

Finally, Panini sticker club commenced this week, with myself earlier today. It was lovely to see the enthusiasm from the children, and all pupils are welcome to join in.

Have a great weekend.

Mr Mitchell

This week marked the completion of SATs for our Year 6 pupils. The children gave their very best throughout the week, and we are extremely proud of each and every one of them. We could not have asked for the children to approach these assessments any better – they showed resilience, focus and maturity at every stage.

They have worked incredibly hard not just this week, but throughout the whole of Year 6 and across their time at Overthorpe. Their commitment and positive attitude have been evident every day.

Well done to all of Kestrels class – you have made us very proud.

The Proudest Blue

This week in collective worship, the children explored the beautiful picture book The Proudest Blue by Ibtihaj Muhammad. The story follows two sisters, Faizah and Asiya, as Asiya prepares for her first day at school wearing her hijab. While Faizah admires how proud and confident her sister feels, they both encounter a range of reactions from others—some kind and some unkind. Through these experiences, the story highlights themes of courage, identity, and pride in one’s beliefs and culture.

The book provides a powerful opportunity for children to reflect on how we treat others and to understand the importance of kindness and empathy. It shows that when people do not understand something, they may respond negatively, but by learning and showing respect, we can build a more caring and inclusive community. This learning strongly links to our half-term focus on British Values, particularly mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. In school, children are encouraged to understand that people may live, believe, and express themselves in different ways, and that these differences should be accepted and valued.

As a Church of England school, we are deeply committed to nurturing children to become kind, respectful, and knowledgeable individuals. Through worship, learning and everyday interactions, we support pupils in developing an understanding of the diverse world around them. We encourage them not only to accept differences, but to celebrate them—recognising that each person’s identity, culture, and beliefs are important and deserve respect.

Our worship this week reminded us all that true strength lies in being proud of who we are, while showing compassion and respect for others.

As in previous years, we repeated the Trust wide Attendance Competition for Year 6 leading up to SATs.

As in previous years, the competition was in two parts:

In each school, the names of all Year 6 pupils who have 100% attendance from Monday 13th April to Friday 15th May was placed in a prize draw, with names drawn out at the end of this week. These pupils are invited to join winning pupils from other schools on a visit to the Cinema (in Wakefield) to watch a film and enjoy a snacks and a drink on Monday 18th May.

The lucky winners are:

Layla

Joseph

Theo

All other Year 6 pupils in each school with 100% attendance for this period will enjoy a celebration on the same day as the cinema visit. As is always the case with 100% rewards strategies, we will make any reasonable adjustments for pupils with medical needs, appointments, valid reasons for absence etc.

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to our wonderful PTA for their continued generosity and commitment to enriching the life of our school. This academic year, their fundraising efforts have made a significant impact, including funding brand new art resources to support our evolving art curriculum, a memorable visit to the Hepworth Gallery for our Year 6 pupils, and a class set of ukuleles to enhance our music provision. In addition, the PTA have generously funded a two-day artist residency, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to meet a professional artist and take part in mono-printing workshops. These experiences not only provide high-quality resources but also inspire creativity, curiosity and confidence in our pupils. We are incredibly grateful for the PTA’s dedication to supporting our school and helping us to provide such rich and meaningful opportunities for all.

The next PTA event taking place is the Rainbow Raffle on Thursday 21st May. This is a non-uniform day in exchange for a particular coloured treat. Colours will be announced nearer the time.